Silicone polymers are used to serve a wide variety of needs. For example, silicone polymers are used as adhesives, lubricants and sealants. Many factors contribute to shaping the qualities which will both characterize the polymer and ultimately determine its use.
The molecular weight of a cured silicone polymer is frequently of significant importance, and silicone polymers possessing molecular weights within a specific range are thus often required. However, a polymer's molecular weight can be difficult to obtain within a desired range.
Similarly, the manner in which a silicone polymer is cured plays a large role in determining the particular qualities that will be possessed by the cured polymer. Due to the nature of the methods traditionally used in the synthesis of silicone polymers, curing groups are often located at the terminal ends of the polymer. In such cases, cross-linking will not occur along the length of the polymer, thereby limiting the polymer's strength.